The present invention is directed toward a device which will assist in the capturing and extraction of wires, cables and the like which are being run through walls or other enclosed spaces. In particular, the present invention is directed toward a retracting device that may quickly and efficiently capture electrical wire, telephone wire, electrical and telecommunication wire and cable from within a wall or other enclosed space by means of a retractable tape.
For the purposes of this application the terms "wire" or "wiring" shall represent electrical wire, telecommunication cable, telecommunication wiring and any other wire, cable and the like which can be run from within a wall or enclosed space. Further, the term "wall" shall represent any form of a wall or other enclosed space.
When an electrical outlet, telephone outlet and the like is needed to be installed, it is common practice to run the necessary wiring within the wall to such a location upon which such outlet is to be placed. Once the wiring has been run within the wall it must be captured and brought out from within the wall so that the necessary hardware can be applied to it.
Because most wiring is flexible, it has difficulty being run within the wall. Devices called "snakes" or "fish tapes" have been developed in which to assist the wire along the path it takes within the wall. See Noonan, U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,432 directed toward an antisnagging device used with "fish tapes". Trethewey, U.S. Pat. No. 4,092,780 directed toward an electrician's "fish tape"; and Gardner, U.S. Pat. No. 3,582,044 directed toward a "fish tape" reel . The above mentioned devices assist wiring through a wall or conduit. Once the wire has reached the desired location, it must be extracted from the wall. Because the above-mentioned devices do not make provision for removing such wiring through a projected opening, the wire has been traditionally removed by hand or by crude hook-type devices.
There is a need for a device which can capture wiring from within a wall or other enclosed space and remove it from the same. This type of device would be more efficient and effective with respect to removing wiring from within a wall.